YabAside vs Chrome
Aside is an AI agent browser from a Y Combinator startup, on Chromium, for Mac and Windows. Its agent does multi-step work in the sites you are signed in to, on Aside’s own models or your ChatGPT or Claude plan.
Chrome is Google’s browser on every desktop and phone, with Gemini built in. Its auto browse agent works in your own signed-in Chrome on a paid Google AI plan, in the US and India.
The short answer
- if you want an agent for multi-step work across your signed-in sites, on Mac or Windows
- if you want a free plan with AI credits, or to bring your ChatGPT or Claude plan
- if you want Claude Code or Codex to drive it over MCP or its command line
- if you live in Google’s apps and want Gemini across Gmail, Calendar and your tabs
- if you pay for Google AI Pro and want an agent in your own signed-in browser
- if you need the same browser on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android
- if you miss Arc and want spaces, pins and folders kept, on a Mac
- if you already pay for Claude or ChatGPT and want it to work in your signed-in tabs
- if you want Claude Code, Codex or Cursor to drive a real browser over MCP
At a glance
Aside and Chrome, with Yab beside them for a Mac.
| What | Aside | Google Chrome | Yab |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made by | Aside Computer Inc. (YC Fall 2025) | Serafim Korablev | |
| Status | Updated | Updated | Updated |
| Runs on | Mac and Windows | Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android | Mac |
| Phone app | None yet; an iPhone app is in the works. Pro runs its agent from Slack or Telegram | iPhone, iPad and Android; syncs tabs, bookmarks, passwords and history | Not yet |
| Price | Free with 500 AI credits a month; Pro $20/month; Max $200/month; or your own ChatGPT or Claude plan | Free, with Gemini; its auto browse agent needs Google AI Pro $19.99/month or Ultra | Free; its AI runs on your own Claude or ChatGPT plan |
| AI | An agent that works in pages, on its own AI or yours | An agent that works in pages, on its own AI service | An agent that works in pages, on your Claude or ChatGPT plan |
| Driven by outside agents | MCP and a command line | MCP and a command line | MCP and a command line |
| Engine | Chromium | Chromium | WebKit |
| Tabs down the side | Yes | A setting | Yes |
| Spaces | Yes | No | Yes |
| Split View | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Extensions | Chrome Web Store | Chrome Web Store | Chrome Web Store |
| Ad blocker | Built in | No | Built in |
| Open source | No | No | No |
Checked October 9, 2026 on each maker’s own pages, linked under Sources. Prices are per month, in US dollars.
Where they differ
What separates them, area by area. Where one plainly has more, it says who; where it comes down to taste, it says so.
AIa matter of taste
Both have an agent that works in your pages. Aside’s agent runs multi-step tasks in your signed-in sites, signs in from its own password vault without seeing the passwords, and asks before payments, posts and messages. Gemini chats about your tabs and sums up pages and videos; auto browse clicks, types and fills forms in your own Chrome, on Google AI Pro or Ultra, in the US and India.
Agents like Claude Code and Codexeven
Aside can be driven over MCP and a command line, through the aside command line, with aside mcp as its MCP server. Chrome can be driven over MCP and a command line, through Google’s Chrome DevTools MCP, which starts its own profile unless you let it attach to your Chrome.
Tabs and windowsAside leads
Aside has tabs down the side, spaces, Split View, folders in the sidebar and tabs that sleep. Chrome has tabs down the side as a setting, Split View, folders in the sidebar and tabs that sleep.
Priceeven
Aside: Free with 500 AI credits a month; Pro $20/month; Max $200/month; or your own ChatGPT or Claude plan. Chrome: Free, with Gemini; its auto browse agent needs Google AI Pro $19.99/month or Ultra.
Where it runsChrome leads
Aside runs on Mac and Windows. Chrome runs on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android. On a Mac, Aside needs macOS 15 or later and Chrome needs macOS 13 or later. Aside has no phone app yet: an iPhone app is in the works. Pro runs its agent from Slack or Telegram. On the phone, Chrome: iPhone, iPad and Android; syncs tabs, bookmarks, passwords and history.
Engine and extensionsa matter of taste
Both are built on Chromium, as Chrome is, so sites work as they do in Chrome. Both take extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
PrivacyAside leads
Aside has an ad blocker built in. Aside keeps task transcripts and files on your Mac; model providers get the prompts, page snapshots and screenshots a task needs, and analytics sharing is on by default. Chrome has no ad blocker of its own. Tabs you share with Gemini go to Google; with Keep Activity on, chats are kept 18 months by default and may be reviewed and used to train models.
What their pages don’t lead with
Real limits, from the makers’ own words and our own use.
Aside
- The free plan has 500 AI credits a month; more is Pro at $20 or Max at $200
- Mac (macOS 15 or later) and Windows only, no phone apps
- Young: first released in February 2026, on Windows since September 2026
- Agents may use your saved passwords unless you change the default
Google Chrome
- Auto browse needs Google AI Pro ($19.99 a month) or Ultra, in the US and India only
- Gemini needs a signed-in Google account
- With Keep Activity on, people may review your Gemini chats and Google may train on them
- No ad blocker of its own
Yab, honestly
- Mac only: macOS 15.4 or later, no Windows, iPhone or Android
- New: first released in September 2026
- Its AI needs a Claude or ChatGPT plan; ChatGPT’s free plan may work with low limits
- WebKit, as in Safari: a site tested only in Chrome can misbehave
- Closed source
What changed lately
- September 21, 2026Aside: Ad blocking with default filter lists turned on during setup
- September 14, 2026Aside: Windows version officially available (release 1.0.914.1)
- April 7, 2026Chrome: Vertical tabs began rolling out as an option
- February 25, 2026Aside: First Aside Browser release for macOS
- February 19, 2026Chrome: Split view for two tabs in one window
- January 28, 2026Chrome: Auto browse agent launched in preview for Google AI Pro and Ultra in the US
Questions
Is Aside free?
Yes, with limits on its AI. Free with 500 AI credits a month; Pro $20/month; Max $200/month; or your own ChatGPT or Claude plan.
Is Google Chrome free?
Yes, with limits on its AI. Free, with Gemini; its auto browse agent needs Google AI Pro $19.99/month or Ultra.
Which has an AI agent, Aside or Chrome?
Both. Aside’s agent runs multi-step tasks in your signed-in sites, signs in from its own password vault without seeing the passwords, and asks before payments, posts and messages. Gemini chats about your tabs and sums up pages and videos; auto browse clicks, types and fills forms in your own Chrome, on Google AI Pro or Ultra, in the US and India.
Do Aside and Chrome run on Windows?
Yes, both. Aside runs on Mac and Windows; Chrome on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android.
Do Aside and Chrome have phone apps?
Chrome does. Aside has no phone app yet: an iPhone app is in the works. Pro runs its agent from Slack or Telegram. On the phone, Chrome: iPhone, iPad and Android; syncs tabs, bookmarks, passwords and history.
Can I move from Chrome to Aside?
Yes: Aside’s own help says it brings in from Chrome.
Is there a third option on a Mac?
Yab, Yet Another Browser, is free for the Mac: tabs down the side with spaces, folders and Split View, as in Aside; an agent in your signed-in tabs like Aside’s, on the Claude or ChatGPT plan you already pay for. Claude Code, Codex and any MCP client can drive it too. It runs on WebKit, the engine Safari uses, and takes Chrome extensions. It is Mac only, and new.
More comparisons
- Aside home page
- Aside pricing
- Aside download page (macOS and Windows)
- Aside help: Get started (macOS 15 or later, import)
- Aside help: Manage your subscription
- Aside help: Configure AI providers
- Aside help: CLI, MCP and REPL
- Aside help: Browser basics (split tabs)
- Aside help: Password autofill and AI access policy
- Aside help: Privacy (analytics default on)
- Aside Browser changelog (Chromium, Windows, Memory Saver, imports, Intel fix)
- Aside components changelog (ad blocking, Sept 21 2026)
- Aside privacy policy (June 23 2026)
- Y Combinator company page
- Aside job listing: MTS, Mobile Engineer (iOS), build the iOS app from the ground up
- PiunikaWeb (Jul 20, 2026): Aside team member says a mobile app will ship soon
- Google blog: Gemini auto browse in Chrome
- 9to5Google: auto browse launch date (2026-01-28)
- Google blog: Gemini in Chrome for US desktop users (Sept 2025)
- Google blog: auto browse comes to India
- Chrome AI features page
- Chrome Help: Gemini in Chrome requirements
- Google AI plans and prices
- Google blog: split view, PDF notes (2026-02-19)
- Google blog: vertical tabs and reading mode (2026-04-07)
- Chrome Help: manage tabs, vertical tabs, tab groups
- Chrome Help: Memory Saver
- Chrome Help: system requirements
- Chrome Help: import bookmarks and settings
- Gemini Apps Privacy Hub
- Chrome DevTools MCP (GitHub)
- Chrome DevTools MCP configuration (autoConnect, profile)
- Chrome DevTools CLI
- Google Chrome Help: Sign in and sync in Chrome
- Google Chrome on the App Store (iPhone and iPad)
- Google Chrome on Google Play
- Yab Manual: Bringing in from another browser
- Yab Manual: Connecting Claude or ChatGPT
- Yab Manual: Extensions
- Yab Manual: Yab’s tools over MCP
- Yab Manual: Privacy
Yab, Yet Another Browser.
Free for the Mac. Arc’s sidebar, your own Claude or ChatGPT as the agent, Chrome extensions on WebKit.